North Dakota
State lands and mineral rights generate historic distributions for North Dakota education
BISMARCK — The department that manages state lands and mineral rights in North Dakota has announced record monetary payouts to benefit education in the state.
Joseph Heringer, Trust Lands commissioner, said the Department of Trust Lands has laid out a historic $620 million in distributions for the 2025-2027 biennium, reflecting a significant increase in asset values.
“That ultimately goes to help education in the state, both at the K-through-12 level and at the university level,” he told The Forum.
When North Dakota was granted statehood in 1889, the state was granted acreage from the federal government.
The Board of University and School Lands is charged by the state constitution with overseeing management of those lands and mineral rights, Heringer said.
The board and Trust Lands staff manage assets that include more than 700,000 surface acres, 2.6 million mineral acres and 13 permanent trusts, all to generate revenue.
Through that management, asset integrity has been preserved while driving growth, leading to a 17% biennial increase in overall distributions to fund beneficiaries.
“Basically, they’re like endowments for the state,” Heringer said.
The record growth is due to a combination of factors, he said, including $2 billion in oil and gas royalties generated over the last five years from nearly 10,000 wells, agricultural rents, easement revenues and a diversified $7.4 billion investment portfolio.
The Common Schools Trust Fund, with a value of $7 billion, makes up the vast majority of that portfolio.
In the current biennium, the Common Schools Trust Fund is at $500 million, distributed by the Department of Public Instruction to schools according to the state school funding formula.
In the 2025-2027 biennium, that amount rises to nearly $585 million.
“These funds will continue to ensure that education in our state remains strong, now and for generations to come,” Heringer said.
Here’s the breakdown of how nearly $620 million in Trust Lands funds will be distributed to beneficiaries over the next two years:
- Common Schools Trust Fund (K-12 public education): $584,677,350
- North Dakota State University: $8,770,000
- University of North Dakota: $6,948,000
- Youth Correctional Center: $3,136,000
- State College of Science: $2,570,284
- School for the Deaf: $2,388,000
- State Hospital: $1,976,284
- School for the Blind: $1,936,284
- Valley City State University: $1,566,000
- Mayville State University: $1,102,000
- Veterans Home: $994,284
- Dickinson State University: $406,284
- Minot State University: $406,284
- Dakota College at Bottineau: $406,284
Huebner is a 35+ year veteran of broadcast and print journalism in Fargo-Moorhead.
WEST FARGO — Three incumbents from West Fargo will run for reelection to their state legislative seats.
North Dakota Sen. Judy Lee and Reps. Jim Jonas and Austen Schauer, all Republicans, announced Sunday, Dec. 14, that they would campaign to represent District 13 in the state Legislature. The district covers much of north West Fargo.
Special to The Forum
Lee was first elected to the North Dakota Senate in 1994. Jonas and Schauer have served in the state House since 2023 and 2019, respectively.
The three ran unopposed in the 2022 election. The next election for their seats is in 2026.
Forum file photo
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WATFORD CITY, N.D. (KUMV) – The North Dakota Department of Transportation awarded more than 150 million dollars in bids to continue expanding highway 85 south of Watford City.
More than $83.8 million will go to Park Construction out of Minneapolis for one segment. It covers about five and a half miles south of the Long X Bridge, going through another section of the badlands. It’s expected to be a three-year project due to the rough terrain.
The next segment covers 12 and a half miles south from the badlands to the highway 200 intersection. The winning bid went to Strata out of Grand Forks for $61.7 million. It will be a two-year project.
Funding for these projects were provided by both the state and federal government.
Copyright 2025 KFYR. All rights reserved.
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Isaiah Griffin had 18 points in Western Illinois’ 69-66 overtime win against North Dakota on…
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Isaiah Griffin had 18 points in Western Illinois’ 69-66 overtime win against North Dakota on Saturday.
Griffin had three steals for the Leathernecks (4-7). Karyiek Dixon scored 17 points while shooting 6 of 10 from the field and 5 for 6 from the line and added 18 rebounds. Lucas Lorenzen shot 3 for 13 (1 for 9 from 3-point range) and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line to finish with 14 points.
Eli King led the way for the Fightin’ Hawks (4-9) with 13 points, two steals and four blocks. Greyson Uelmen added 13 points for North Dakota. Garrett Anderson had 11 points and six rebounds.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
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